]895. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 6')3 



is yetunproven, but its presence in Margarita is considered pretty good 

 evidence of its inhabiting the mainland. 



The determination of the species was nndertaken by Mr. Kiclimond 

 who is therefore responsible for the names used in the following list. 



Family LAEID.E. 



1. LARUS ATRICILLA, Linnaeus. 



LAUGHING GULL. 



Native name: " Guanaguanare. " 



Abundant and not at all shy, approaching within a few feet to pick 

 up the bits of fish tossed to them by the tishermen. My specimen, a 

 female, was strongly tinged with roseate on the breast. 



2. PHAETHUSA MAGNIROSTRIS (Lichtenstein.) 



LARGE-BILLED TERN. 



Only a few were seen along the beaches of Margarita, but at the 

 mouth of the river Mauzanares at Cumana, some 40 miles distant, I 

 saw them in swarms attending the large Hocks of brown i)elicans in 

 their fishing parties. 



3. ? STERNA EURYGNATHA, Saunders. 

 RED-BILLED TERN, 



Common along the beaches. 



[A single specimen represented in the collection may belong to tliis 

 species. It is almost identical in color with acHfiarUlns^ except that 

 the bill is yellow, with an ill-defined area of blackish about the middle 

 third of both maxilla and mandible. The angle of the mandible is 

 well in front of the anterior part of the nostril, thus opposing Saun- 

 ders's description. Enmp, upper tail-coverts, and upper surface of tail 

 well washed with gray, darker on ends of the tail feathers. The long- 

 outer wing quills are replaced by pinfeathers, thus preventing meas- 

 urement of this part. The specimen appears to be immature. '' Beak 

 yellowish, middle third black; legs bla(;k; soles of feet yellow.'' 

 C. W. K.] 



L STERNA ANTILLARUM (Lesson). 



LEAST TERN. 



Abundant, and probably with young in July, as whenever 1 ap- 

 proached the sandy flats that they affected particularly, they hovered 

 around me screeching incessantly until I withdrew. 



